Nokia Shares Slide on Santander Downgrade as AI Hype Meets Reality Check
Technology Sarah Chen

Nokia Shares Slide on Santander Downgrade as AI Hype Meets Reality Check

Nokia shares dropped sharply following a Santander downgrade to Underperform, casting doubt on the AI-fueled rally that followed Nvidia's strategic investment. Investors now await concrete evidence of AI network gains in upcoming financial results.

NVDA
SoFi Stock Dips on $3.6B Loan Pacts Amid Accounting Scrutiny
Markets Daniel Marsh

SoFi Stock Dips on $3.6B Loan Pacts Amid Accounting Scrutiny

SoFi Technologies shares declined over 4% on Friday, closing at $15.23, even after announcing more than $3.6 billion in anticipated personal loan funding from three new institutional partners. The drop occurred amid broader market weakness and lingering skepticism following a critical short-seller report earlier in March.

SOFI LC UPST
Plug Power Slides Amid Broader Selloff Despite CEO's Profitability Reassurance
Earnings James Calloway

Plug Power Slides Amid Broader Selloff Despite CEO's Profitability Reassurance

Plug Power shares fell Friday as new CEO Jose Luis Crespo reaffirmed the company's timeline to reach positive EBITDA in late 2026 and full profitability by 2028, despite reporting a substantial net loss for 2025.

PLUG
UnitedHealth Shares Drop Ahead of Q1 Report, Sector Under Pressure
Earnings James Calloway

UnitedHealth Shares Drop Ahead of Q1 Report, Sector Under Pressure

UnitedHealth Group shares declined sharply Friday, extending weekly losses as the market anticipates first-quarter results. The health insurance sector broadly retreated.

UNH HUM ELV CI XLV
EPA Grants Summer E15 Waiver to Ease Gas Prices, Impact May Be Limited
Regulation James Calloway

EPA Grants Summer E15 Waiver to Ease Gas Prices, Impact May Be Limited

The U.S. EPA issued an emergency waiver permitting summer sales of E15 gasoline starting May 1 to address high pump prices. However, infrastructure and supply limitations may curb the policy's effectiveness.

ADM XLE USO
U.S. Natural Gas Holds at $3 Amid Strong LNG Exports, Storage Draw
Commodities Rebecca Torres

U.S. Natural Gas Holds at $3 Amid Strong LNG Exports, Storage Draw

U.S. natural gas futures traded near $3 per mmBtu Friday, supported by a significant storage draw and robust LNG export activity. Prices remain disconnected from much higher global benchmarks.

LNG UNG XLE
Mortgage Rates Hit 8-Month High, Pressuring Housing Demand and Lender Stocks
Economy Daniel Marsh

Mortgage Rates Hit 8-Month High, Pressuring Housing Demand and Lender Stocks

Mortgage rates reached an eight-month peak on Friday, with the average 30-year fixed loan at 6.64%. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a 10.5% weekly drop in applications as affordability concerns mount.

RKT UWMC LDI XLF
Oil Surges as Supply Fears Outweigh Iran Deal Optimism
Commodities Rebecca Torres

Oil Surges as Supply Fears Outweigh Iran Deal Optimism

Oil prices rallied sharply Friday, with Brent crude rising above $111 and U.S. West Texas Intermediate nearing $99, as skepticism over Iran talks and a critical supply choke point kept markets tense.

USO CVX SHEL XOM XLE
XRP Tests Key Support as Ripple Deploys AI for Ledger Security
Crypto Sarah Chen

XRP Tests Key Support as Ripple Deploys AI for Ledger Security

XRP fell 2.4% to approximately $1.32 on Friday, extending its weekly loss to 7.9%. Ripple revealed its AI security team has identified more than 10 vulnerabilities in the XRP Ledger, with fixes planned for the next software release.

IBIT
Bitcoin Retreats Below $66K Amid ETF Outflows, Options Expiry, and Geopolitical Strain
Crypto Sarah Chen

Bitcoin Retreats Below $66K Amid ETF Outflows, Options Expiry, and Geopolitical Strain

Bitcoin dropped over 4% Friday, sliding below $66,000 as significant ETF outflows, a major options expiry, and Middle East tensions pressured the crypto market. Related equities like Coinbase and Marathon Digital saw steep declines.

COIN MARA BTCS BITF RIOT MSTR IBIT USO XLK
Silver Surges 4% in Rebound, Yet Structural Deficits and Volatility Loom
Commodities Rebecca Torres

Silver Surges 4% in Rebound, Yet Structural Deficits and Volatility Loom

Silver rebounded sharply on Friday, climbing over 4% to $71.01 per ounce after a 5% drop, with broader precious metals also rallying. However, prices remain far below January's peak amid persistent supply deficits and demand concerns.

SLV GLD
Wall Street Extends Slide as Oil Spike, Tech Weakness Fuel Selloff
Markets Daniel Marsh

Wall Street Extends Slide as Oil Spike, Tech Weakness Fuel Selloff

U.S. stocks extended their weekly decline, with the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite closing at their lowest levels in six months. A sharp rise in crude oil prices and persistent weakness in major technology shares pressured the broader market.

NVDA MSFT GOOGL META CCL U USO